Multifocal intraocular or contact lenses, i.e. lenses with a plurality of focal points, which may for example be used for near and distance vision (bifocal) or near, intermediate and distance vision (trifocal), have been known for several decades and use a very wide range of diffractive structures on a refractive basic lens, in order to provide one or more diffractive focal points in addition to the refractive focal point.
According to documents DE 20 2009 018 881 U1 and EP 2 503 962 B1, to produce two diffractive focal points lenses with diffractive structures are used, the profile of which per period has four alternately monotonically rising and monotonically falling portions, i.e. two acute-angled maxima per period. The applicant has recognised that incorporating such structures into the lens not only leads to a plurality of profile peaks which are difficult to manufacture, but also to suboptimal distribution or light yield of the light intensities in the focal points produced.